B.E. Degree Requirements

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Residency

Completion of the B.E. program after the A.B. degree generally requires between 1 and 3 terms at Thayer School, depending on the courses taken during the first 4 years. Advanced standing on entry to Dartmouth may shorten the overall time required; some students complete both the A.B. and B.E. in 4 years.

Course of Study

B.E. students take required courses and electives in mathematics, basic science, engineering sciences, and engineering design.

The B.E. degree requires a minimum of 9 courses beyond the requirements for the A.B. degree. At least 6 courses must have significant engineering design content (see the B.E. Planning Guide (PDF) for details).

Engineering Distributive Core (choose 2 courses)

Engineering Gateway (choose 2 courses from 2 different disciplines; students who modify the engineering sciences major with science, and dual-degree students with science majors, may take their gateway courses in the same discipline)

* With the exception of one of either ENGS 34 (prerequisites 20, 22, 23, 25) or ENGS 36 (prerequisites 20, 22, 25), courses to be included in the area of “three-course concentration” will be numbered above ENGS/ENGG 40 and will require at least one prerequisite either from the series ENGS 20–37 or from advanced courses within the sciences. With permissions, suitable advanced science courses may count within the three-course concentration. To include ENGS 86 or 88 in the three-course concentration, a proposal, which includes prerequisite courses, a syllabus, learning objectives and what principles of engineering will be mastered, needs to be submitted in advance (before the fourth week of the term prior to which ENGS 86 or 88 will be taken) and approved by the B.E. Committee. The computer science courses permitted in the three-course concentration are COSC 50, 55–83 (except 56, 71, 73, 74). The excluded courses COSC 51, 56, and 84 may be used as engineering electives. Although the requirement is a three-course concentration, students are encouraged to enroll in four courses in their area of concentration.

Detailed information about specific courses that satisfy accreditation and Thayer School requirements is in the B.E. Planning Guide (PDF), which is for planning purposes only. You will need to go to Banner Student to complete the B.E. program plan. If you have questions, please see the Registrar in MacLean 103.

NOTE: The only B.E. courses that can be taken under the Non-Recording Option are MATH 3, 8, 13; PHYS 13, and CHEM 5.